Medical device manufacturers that attempt to handle too many
tasks in the product development process without the sufficient level of
competency are simply setting themselves up for failure. It is vital for them
to maintain a strong expertise in those core competencies and look outside for
strategic partners who can aid them. This article examines that for the product
design process.

As the rising cost of healthcare in the U.S. continues
to cartwheel out of control, the medical community is demanding a much
healthier ROI from the technology solutions that it deploys across multiple
disciplines. The interconnect solutions arena is a case in point, as higher
performance and greater dependability have become the industry’s catch words.

The Challenge: A large OEM needed a consistent motion
controller for a 84-slide capacity IHC benchtop autostain machine. The
Solution: A customized, four-axis 1/2-stack motion controller was selected that
ran inside the OEM customer’s existing PC, reducing cost for the manufacturer
and increasing lab space for the end-user.

In recent years, there has been great excitement about the
use of neuromodulation to treat a wide array of medical conditions and
diseases. The technology uses electrical signals to stimulate or block
different nerve impulses in the body and is adapted from technology used in
cardiac rhythm management. Advanced ceramic materials are playing an important role in
the technology and are poised to play an even greater one as these medical
devices flood onto the market to treat an increasing number of ailments.

Recent innovations in computer-assisted surgery are pushing
the boundaries of modern medicine to new and exciting frontiers. As
conventional surgical instrumentation continues to give way to advanced
console- and camera-based systems, surgeons are able to operate on patients
with exceptional precision.

In an effort to reduce the time-to-defibrillation interval
and improve cardiac arrest survival, health service providers have increasingly
turned to a strategy of wider access to defibrillation to augment emergency
medical services. In some countries this is being implemented by providing automated
external defibrillators (AED) for use by police, first aid volunteers, and even
members of the general public.

In the field of electronics design, designing a “best in
class” product with a competitive roadmap for the future is vital. For medical
designs, in particular, it is especially important to use the highest quality
components to ensure longevity, as these products go through long approval and
use cycles. To accomplish this, system designers need to design the “right
system.” But what does that mean?

Sleep apnea is a condition that impacts millions of people and can have a significant impact on their sleep. Treating such a condition can be challenging for medical device manufacturers. As such, this article looks at sensor solutions that can be used within a sleep apnea device, explains the differences, and provides valuable insight on the technology.

Wireless foot switch technology can be a preferred control mechanism for a variety of medical devices. However, there are a number of considerations designers need to consider before looking to use this technology. This article serves as a primer for many of those considerations while also providing an overview of the technology.

With more medical devices containing electronic components, the heat generated by these components becomes a greater issue for the designers of the finished products. As such, consulting with a thermal management expert prior to designing...